Drug deal goes awry, leaves two injured

A shooting in Delhi that authorities initially believed occurred during a home invasion robbery, turned out to be the outcome of a drug deal gone bad.

One man was shot in the stomach during the altercation and was transported to a hospital in Modesto. The man is expected to recover from his wound, said Merced County Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Tom MacKenzie.

An additional victim was beaten by the two suspects and was hit on the head with a handgun. He was treated at Emanuel Medical Center, MacKenzie said.

The attack at a residence in the 15000 block of El Capitan Avenue in Delhi was reported around 3 p.m. Tuesday and was initially thought to be a home invasion robbery. The sheriff’s department re-classified the case as an assault with a deadly weapon after investigators learned the two male victims were trying to sell five pounds of marijuana to the two suspects, who ended up turning on them, MacKenzie said.

The sheriff’s department said the two victims came into possession of some marijuana and decided to try and sell it in order to make money. After a few connections were made, the suspects showed up at the residence under the guise of buying the marijuana. However, the two men had a plan of their own to steal the marijuana and came to the meeting armed and with materials to tie the two victims up.

“That is when the struggle ensued and one victim was shot while the other beaten,” MacKenzie said.

The victims’ statements vary when giving a description of the suspects; however, the sheriff’s department is on the lookout for a red four door Jeep. In addition to the marijuana, the suspects took several items from the home.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the sheriff’s department at 385-7472.